The Two Kings
by black4minister
Summary: Free from rules and responsabilities for one afternoon, Aragorn and Eomer have a conversation on the hills of Rohan. Better then it sounds, honestly.


**A/N: Heya! I'm back with another random one-shot, maybe I should make them a series, eh? Well, this had been in the works for a while and of course just as I return to school for my final year my muses decide to make an appearance-ain't that always the way.**

**Yes, the story. Just was thinking about Aragorn and Eomer, both ending up king, with no experience, or fore warning-ye I know Aragorn knew he was Isildor's heir, but still, he didn't really expect to live that long so... hope you enjoy the story and please leave a review, please, please, pretty please -begs shamelessly- **

The two men sat together in the fading light of the summer sun. They had gone on this trip, narrowly avoiding their guards, and were enjoying their little bout of freedom on the planes of Rohan.

The two men were very different in many ways. The first had blond hair, blue eyes, and the stocky build of someone who rarely travelled on foot. The other man, by contrast, had dark hair, storm grey eyes, and the lithe body of a sprinter. The men also had many years of life between them, the second having seen some fifty years more then the other.

But though they differed in appearance, age, and character as well, these men had found themselves in the same situation. They had both now been King for one month. A position neither of them expected to get. They had been thrust into a reality they had never really been prepared for and found themselves having to manage as best they could.

Aragorn, crowned Ellesar, leaned against a tree, having lit his pipe, and inhaled deeply. He then looked over at his companion. "So, how long do you think we have before the guards proclaim an emergency and send half the army out to find us?"

Eomer glanced at the Gondorian, who was now blowing smoke rings, but continued to chew on a piece of grass, thinking. "Well," he eventually began, "We did tell them we had important business to attend to in that room we snuck out of, and that they weren't to disturb us, so they are sure to give us a couple of hours. That is, presuming nothing urgent comes up that requires one or both of our presence"

Aragorn seemed to think for a moment before commenting dryly, "Not that long then. There seems to be nothing but urgent matters that require my presence these days"

Throwing away the blade of grass, Eomer gave a humourless laugh, "You're not the only one. Replacing people to their homes, replacing homes that were lost, endless arguments over who owns this land, this farm, this house. It never seems to stop"

Aragorn rubbed a hand over his face, "Don't forget the army. Paying the soldiers, housing those that were injured, getting rid of those that are no longer needed, dealing with the widows of the dead...it goes on for ever"

"At least you are married" Eomer stared at the other man, "All I ever hear is how I need to find a wife, a _suitable_ wife, and get an heir"

"It's true I missed out on the 'You need to get married' lectures, but that doesn't mean I didn't have trouble when I announced my betrothal"

Eomer looked a little surprised. He had had the pleasure of meeting Arwen, and it truly had been a pleasure, she was an amazing woman. "But what was wrong with Lady Arwen? She seems to be exactly the kind of wife my council want me to take. She will make a good Queen, she is intelligent, a good leader, can hold her own"

"Well, they were some of the problems" Aragorn stated, "In Rohan, your wife will be expected to rule in your stead, but in Gondor the Steward takes control in my absence. My wife is only a trophy, used to procure an heir. At first my council seemed very happy, as Arwen is such a beautiful, graceful creature. They would have preferred if she were a Gondorian, but seeing as I am not really one myself, they got over it. But then they found out that she was helping me with my paper work, and making changes and suggestions-she's always been very good at details-and they got annoyed that she wasn't prepared to sit and do embroidery all day"

Eomer had to laugh at the idea of the strong, elven beauty he had met doing embroidery all day. Then a wicked grin crossed his face, "I'll bet Lady Arwen loved that!"

The grin was mirrored by Aragorn, "I brought her with me to a council meeting and let her give them a piece of her mind. They were less inclined to make ridiculous suggestions for her improvement after that-though I did have a couple who came to me afterwards and said they thought my wife was an excellent match for me, I have yet to decide if they were trying to compliment me, or insult me"

Eomer laughed loudly at this, causing the horses, grazing nearby to look over. He then abruptly changed the subject, "Have you tried to kill any advisers yet?" He asked, gazing out onto the sea of grass before them.

Aragorn chuckled lightly, "I have managed to constrict my fights to words, so far" He then shot a sharp look at his younger companion, "You have not hurt any of yours, have you?"

Eomer turned to so he could once more see his friend and grinned at the slight look of concern on his face. "No, I have not hurt any of them, though I have come very close. However, I have confined my rage to the training field, as Eowyn ordered. She said she refused to be Queen if I was thrown into prison for murder"

It was the ranger's turn to grin, mischief in his eyes, "You will miss Eowyn when she is gone. Have you forgiven Faramir yet?"

Rohan's King snorted, "It is not really that I blame him for taking Eowyn away from me, it is more that I do not think Faramir is right for her"

His companion frowned lightly, "You do not feel that Faramir is good enough for her? I assure you that my Steward is a good, honourable man, that will cherish your sister until the day he dies. He would never do anything that could hurt her"

A flash of fire ran through Eomer's eyes, "If he ever hurt her it would be the last thing he did. But no, I do not doubt his character, I liked him myself and I trust your judgement, it is more the fact that he is such a kind and gentle man that worries me" Seeing the confusion in Aragorn's eyes he continued, "Aragorn, Eowyn dressed up as a man and rode to war. She killed the Witch King and numerous others. She gets up at dawn each day to practice with her sword, and has not read a book since our childhood lessons. She has never been able to run a household, she is incapable of cooking" Here Aragorn snorted, remembering his own experience of the fair lady's culinary skills-or lack there of, "She will not take orders, or, more often then not, advice, from anyone. She needs some one who can keep up with her, match her in fights, how is your mild-mannered Steward supposed to do that? I do not think they will be happy"

Aragorn sat quietly for a moment, slightly surprised at the thought his friend had put into the finer details of this match. And he could see where he was coming from, but it was from a warrior's perspective, not from one who had been in love. He choose his words carefully, "I know what you mean, my friend, but I think those reasons are exactly why Faramir and Eowyn are perfect for eachother" Now it was his turn to elaborate in sight of a confused look, "Eowyn doesn't need someone who will control her, or who can argue her down. That is exactly what she dreads. She needs someone who will accept her for the unique woman she is and will not attempt to stifle her independence. Faramir will gladly let her continue with her sword training, and he knows she's incapable of playing housewife, but he doesn't care. He loves her for who she is. And on the other point" Here Aragorn slanted the younger man a grin, "If there is a point on which Faramir truly believes himself right, you would be surprised how hard he will fight for it"

Eomer looked Aragorn straight in the face, his serious expression showing how much he had worried over this, "You are a hundred percent sure about this?"

"Indeed, I heard it from the mouth of my Steward himself, after I raised similar concerns"

Rohan's King smiled, "Seems we think alike" He stopped abruptly as Aragorn stiffened, his head cocked to one side, listening intently. Eomer's hand unconsciously wound around his sword hilt as he looked inquiringly at his friend.

Aragorn smiled reassuringly back, relaxing his posture again, but preparing to rise to his feet, "It is the horns of your riders I can hear, it seems our presence has been missed"

Eomer also rose and couldn't suppress a groan as he too picked up the faint sounds of horns on the wind. "We had better go back, though I dread to think of the lecture I'm going to get"

His companion chuckled, "That is the advantage of being a visiting king in a foreign country, I can't be ordered about" All he got was a rather wicked grin from Eomer.

"Do you really think Eowyn is above lecturing you aswell? Especially as she has already come to think of herself as the wife of the Steward of Gondor, and considers you her responsibility while you are here"

Aragorn grimaced, "Maybe we'll be able to sneak back in and claim we went for a walk?"

Eomer thought for a moment while he un-knotted the reins on his horse, "We might be able to, if we use that back entrance under the hall. But we will have to avoid my guards"

"And mine" added the ranger, "I'm sure we can manage if we leave now" He was preparing his own horse and eyeing Eomer's warily. Firefoot had a legendary temper that could rival even his master's and was the only horse Aragorn had ever met that didn't like him. Eomer found this to be a constant source of amusement. Was it Aragorn's imagination or was Firefoot glaring at him? Horses couldn't glare, right?

The horn blasts sounded more clearly, and Eomer swung into his saddle. "Come on, my friend, we will have to circle around as it is, they seem to be headed right this way"

Aragorn nodded, swiftly mounted himself, and spurred his horse on. With Eomer riding beside him, he directed his horse down the far side of the small hill they had been sitting on, preparing to go around and approach Edoras from the back.

Half an hour later saw the two Kings looking like guilty children, receiving a lecture from an annoyed Eowyn, who had refused to listen to their carefully prepared excuses. King or no King, there were some people you just didn't take on.

**So, funny? Stupid? Drop me a line, eh? Please, please, please, yep more shameless begging.**


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